Electric controller.



PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906. E. G. FELLOWS.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1. 1906.

2 SHETTSSHEET 1.

fig. f,

law. 5:; I

No. 839,742. PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906.

E. G. FELLOWS.

BLEOTRIO CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

EDWIN C. FELLOWS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THEENTERPRISE MANUFACTURING COMPANY OF PENNSYLVANIA, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1906.

Applicationfiled June 1,1906. SerialNo.319,741.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN C. FELLOWS, a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadel hia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Electric Controllers, of which the following is aspecification.

One object of my invention is to provide certain improvements in thedetail construction of controllers particularly desi ned for startingand regulating the speed 0 electric motors and with this object in viewI desire to provide a contact-fin er and auxiliary contacts so placedthat whatever arc occurs on makin or breaking the field and armaturecircu ts will be necessarily confined to said contacts.

I further desire to so construct and mount the stops for thecontroller-handle or contact-arm that there shall be no tendency forthis to break the slate or marble of the controller-face, even though itbe brought into violent contact with said stops.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved form ofadjustable bearing for the contact-arm, as well as contactbrushes ofimproved construction designed to be mounted on said arm. I also desireto so arrange the contacts and connections of my controller that a bodyof resistance, preferably that used to regulate the field-current, willbe placed in series with the motor fieldwinding'just prior to breakingthe field-cir-- cuit, thereby cutting down and preventing damage fromthe induced field-current.

These objects I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of acontroller constructed according to my invention. Fig.

2 is a rear elevation ofthe controller illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa vertical section of the controller, taken through one of the auxiliarycontacts and the contact-brushes of the contact-arm. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation of the contact-arm. Fi 5 is a side elevation of thebearing-piece for the contactarm, showing the stops thereon; and Fi 6 isa diagrammatic view illustrating the eTectrical connections of myimproved controller and the connections between it and an electricmotor.

'In the above drawings, A'is a cast-iron frame or skeleton casing, inwhich are mounted any desired number of bodies of resistance B-in thepresent instance in the form of a sinle coil of flat section. On thefront of the i rame A is mounted a plate or slab C of slate, marble, orother desired insulatin material, and this carries a pair of termina scand c for the attachment of field and armature conductors,respectively. Also mounted on the plateC is av bearing-piece 0consisting of a flat body ortion and a bearing ortion c projecting f fomboth sides thereo In addition at both ends of said body portion areupwardly-extending lugs c, of which one has a projection '0 serving as"a terminal for the attachment of one of the line conductors.

One part of the bearin portion 0 extends through the plate C, Whi e tothe other part is fitted the boss of a contact-arm D.. It will be seenthat the thickness of this boss is slightly greater than the length ofthe part on which it is mounted and that it is held in position by meansof a screw-bolt d, which passes through said part 0 This bolt isprovided with a nut and washer and has in addition between the boss ofthe arm D and its head a fiber Washer d and, if desired, a metal washerd for a purpose hereinafter noted.

The arm D consists of a straight body portion extending radially fromthe boss and provided at its end with two branches (1 and d, of whichthe first is provided with a handle (Z while on the second branch is apiece d d and (1 open on their bottom faces only, a

and containing springs 11 and contactbrushes (Z and-d respectively.

Mounted in the arcof a circle .upon the plate C and concentric with thebearing portion of the piece 0 is a series of contact-buttons e, whileupon the arc of a second circle, also concentric with the said bearingportion, are two elongated contact-pieces e and a.

There are also two auxiliary contacts a and e, mounted on the plate C,beyond the con-.

7 troller are connected, as shown in Fig. 6, one

of the supply-mains f being connected to the contact-arm at the terminalcflwhile one of the terminals 0 of the plate 0 is connected to one endof the motor-field g, whose opposite end is connected to the secondsupply-main f. The motor-armature g has one terminal also connected tothe supply-main f and its second terminal connected to the terminal 0 onthe plate 0, which latter terminal is also connected to the contactstrip or button e It Wil be seen from an inspection of the drawings thatthe contact-strip and the first two of the contact-buttons e aredead-4i. e.,

they are at no time included in the electric I circuit, but serve tomaintain the springpressed brushes (1 and cl at the proper level whenthese are not in engagement with the live members of thecontroller-contacts:

The resistance B is connected at different points to the variouscontact-buttons -e,

iliary contact a being also connected to the contact-strip e to the endof the resistance B.

When the contact-arm D is moved to the extreme left of its path ofmotion, it will be seen that it engages one of the stops 0 and I thatits brushes engage the dead contactstrip e and one of the deadcontact-buttons e. As, however, said handle is moved to the rightin-orderto start the motor the con tact-finger d first engages the rod 0of the auxiliary contact 6 so that the field-circuit of the motor iscompleted from the supplyinain f through the field-winding to theterminal a, through all the resistance B, auxiliary contact acontact-arm D, and terminal 0 to the supply-main f. By this means anyarcing which occurs when the field-circuit is completed takes place.onthe rod 6 As the arm D is moved farther to the right its brush dengages the first one of the live contact-buttons e, therebyshort-circuiting the resistance B, so that the field-current is now freeto pass from the field-winding through the first contact-button, thenceThe terminal a is connected to one of the contact-buttons e and alsomoves off the contact-stri action of the spring d, until finally suchmotion has proceeded far enough to permit said finger to becomequickly'disengaged from the rod 6 and be returned to its normal positionby said spring. Further movement of the contact-arm D to the right nextbrings the. contact-finger into contact with the second one of theauxiliary contacts 0 thus completing the armature-circuit of, the motorfrom the supply-main f through the armature g, terminal 0, contact-stripe auxiliary contact e arm D, terminal 0 and sup ply-main.

If the motor is of the shunt-wound type, as in the case illustrated, itwill now start and run at its slowest speed, it being noted that any areformed by the completion of the armature-circuit occurs on the rod ofthe auxiliary contact 0.

As the contact-arm is further moved the two brushes d and d arerespectively brought into engagement with the second live contact-buttone and with the contactstrip c, after which the finger d is quicklydisengaged from the rod of the second auxiliary contact 6 under theaction of the spring (1 as in the case of the auxiliary contact 0 Bymovement of the contact-arm to its full on position the resistance B isgradually cut into the field-circuit, thereby weakening the field of themotor and causing said motor to speedup in the well-known manner. N omatter how violently the arm D may be brou ht into contact with eitherof the stops 0 t ere is no tendency to crack or break the marble orslate plate C, as has been the case with stops mounted on the face ofcontrollers heretofore made, the reason for this bein that the effect ofsuch a blow or strain in t e present instance is taken by the metalliccasting c and is not transmitted through the slate or marble from thestop to the ivot of the said contact-arm. I I

en the contact-arm is moved from its full on toward its off position,the resistance B is cut out of the field-circuit. by a number of steps,and just before brush (Z e 'the finger (1 comes into engagement wit therod 6 of the auxiliary contact 6 As a consequence the said brush may bemoved completely ofi of the contact-strip 6 without breaking thearmature-circuit, which is. still completed through the contact-fingerand the auxilia contact 6 Finally, however, the finger is rawn past therod e and under the action of the spring (1 is quickly moved out ofcontact therewith, so that it breaks the arm-ature-circuit and, causesany arc which may be formed to occur between said finger and rod.Similarly, before the brush (Z leaves the last one of the livecontact-buttons e the finger d engages with the rod of the auxiliaryrontact e so that when said brush d finally passes oii this lastlive-contact button the field-current is reduced by being made to age ofthe field-circuit that all danger of puncture of the field insulation isefiectually avoided. Furthermore, any arc occurring is necessarillimited to the auxiliary contacts, and w en from continued use .thecontact-arm becomes loose on its supportingpivot the wear Ina be quicklytaken up and the arm tightened y properly setting up the screw-bolt d,the fiber Washer d allowin of said setting up without causin undue b1nding between the parts. It Wlll be further noticed that the portion ofthe be aring c which extends into the slate is internall threaded, sothat the arm D is held in 081- tion and may be adjusted independent y ofthe nut on the washer whereby\the piece c is held to the plate C. a

By the arrangement of the tubular projections d. and d, with theirsprings and brushes (Z and d the uniform pressure of these latter on thecontact-buttons and strips is assured without the need of adjustingmeans or confining devices, which are likely to get out, of order orrequire constant attention. Should the contact-rods e at any time becomeburned or itted, it is a comparatively easy matter to oosen thesetscrews e", and so turn said rods as to resent fresh surfaces forengagement with t e contact-finger (2.

I claim 1. The combination of a supporting-plate, a series ofcontact-buttons thereon, an auxiliary contact, a contact-arm pivotallymounted on the plate having a contact-brush placed to engage saidcontact-buttons, and a con-' tact-finger carried by the arm so as toremain in engagement with said auxiliary contact until after said brushhas become disengaged from the first contact-button when the arm ismoved in either direction, substantially as described. 2. Thecombination of a supporting-plate, a series of contact-buttons thereon,an auxiliary contact, a contact-arm pivotally mounted on the platehaving a contact-brush placed to engage said contact-buttons, and acontact-finger carried by the arm so as to remain in engagement withsaid auxiliary contact until after said brushhas become disengaged fromthe first contact-button when the arm is moved in either direction, witha spring for normally retaining said arm in a definite position,substantially as described.

3. The combination in an electric controller, of a supporting-plate, anarm having a air of contact-brushes thereon, contact buttons on theplate placed to be engaged by said contact-brushes, with a plurality ofauxiliary contacts on the plate, and a contactfinger on the arm placedto coo crate with i said auxiliary contacts, said ger being placed toengage said auxiliary contacts before said contact button or buttons areengaged by the brushes when the arm is moved in one direction, and toremain in engagement with said auxiliary contacts aftersaidcontact-brushes have been disengaged from said contact or contactswhen said arm is 4. The combination in an electric control-- ler, of aplate of insulating material, a series of contacts thereon, a metallicstructure mounted. on the plate, an .arm pivotallymounted on saidstructure .for cooperation with the contacts, with a stop or sto scarried by the metallic structure for limitlng the movement of the arm,substantially as described.

5. The combination in an electric controller, of a plate of insulatingmaterial, a series of contacts thereon, a metallic structure mounted onthe plate, an arm pivotally mounted on said structure for cooperationwith the contacts, with a stop on each side of said metallic structurefor limiting the movement of saidfarm, substantially as described.

:6. Thecombination in an electric controller, of a plate of insulatingmaterial, a series of contacts thereon, ametallic structure mounted onthe plate and having aterminal, anarm pivotally mounted on saidstructure for cooperation with the contacts, and a stop on each side ofthe metallic structure for limiting the movement'of said arm,substantially as described.

7. The combination of a plate of insulating material, a series ofcontacts mounted thereon, a metallic piece having an upwardly-projectinglug or lugs, with an arm pivotally mounted on said piece for cooperationwith said contacts, said lugs serving as stops for limiting movement ofthe arm, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a plate of insulating material, of contactsthereon, a meat lic piece mounted on-said plate having an upwardlyprojecting pivot, an arm cooperating with the contacts and mounted onsaid pivot, said arm being of greaterthickness than the length of saidpivot, with a'bolt extending into the pivot and having a washer ofrelatively soft material between its head and said arm,,substantially asdescribed.

9. The combination of a plate of insulating material, contacts thereon,an arm cooperating with said contacts and provided with a boss, ametallic piece mounted on said plate having a projectlng pivot extendinginto the boss of the arm, a bolt passing through the pivot portion ofsaid piece and threaded into the same, with a nut on said bolt forholding ICC the iece to the plate, and a washer of relative y softmaterial between the head of the bolt and the boss on the arm,substantially as field-circuit is broken when the movable structure isoperated to its off position, substantially as described.

1 1. The combination in an electric controller of a series ofcontact-buttons, a body of resistance connected thereto, an auxiliarycontact, a contact-armcarrying a brush capable of engagement with saidcontact-buttons, an auxiliary contact connectedto the buttons, and a 'sring-controlled finger on the contactarm, t e parts being arranged sothat the body of resistance is connected in series .with

the field of the motor when the field-circuit is finally broken on theauxiliary contact, as the arm is moved to its oil position,substantially as described.

12. The combination in an electric conof contact-buttons'thereon, a bodyoffield resistance connected to said contact-buttons,

'- 13. The combination in an electric controller of two series ofcontact-buttons, one connected to the armature of an electric motor, andthe other to the field of such motor, a body of'resistance connected toone of said series of contact-buttons, an auxiliary contact for eachseries of buttons, and a contactarm having brushes placed to engage saidtwo series of' contact buttons, there being a spring-controlledcontact-finger mounted on said contact-arm and placedto engage saidauxiliary contacts'at certain predetermined points in the ath of motionoi the arm, substantially as escribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN o. FELLOWS. Witnesses GEO. P. BOSENHART, JOHN M. SCHEERBAUM.

